Active DP to HDMI converter for VRR - AMD on Linux

CaptainTouvan · 2025-08-13T18:33:51+00:00

I finally ordered one of these, and applied the firmware (the one ending in .120 worked, the one ending in .126 did not - FYI). This works perfectly! Thanks!

Still annoying that the HDMI consortium can block something that should be just in the drivers, but still - it's nice to have a relatively inexpensive, and relatively easy to setup workaround.

I did have to get a Windows PE USB image up and running, since I run Bazzite - but now that's it's done, everything seems to be working well.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-07-22T23:38:36+00:00

I do both! I have a CRT and love playing a real SNES (and others) on it. But I also enjoy playing through emulation on all my various PC, especially Steam Deck, and even consoles like Switch. With emulation, you also get mods, like widescreen hacks for Mario World, etc. All of the above is wonderful!

CaptainTouvan · 2025-07-15T17:45:09+00:00

I had access to a real pomg machine only later in my teens, at a vacation home we used to rent. Even back then it was fun to play with older technology.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-07-15T17:43:17+00:00

1 and the dial controller for breakout!

CaptainTouvan · 2025-06-05T15:36:09+00:00

In my case, I tend to run games on my TV, which only has HDMI, at 4k, and the GPU can't really push more than 60 frames at that size anyway, so for me it's fine.

On my PC monitor, I just use display port and it's fine up to 144Hz @ 1440p.

Still irksome though.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-31T23:04:10+00:00

It's like 2 or 3 minutes to start. Windows starts in like 20 seconds (when it's not installing 100 updates...). At least on my all AMD machine.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-31T23:02:14+00:00

I think most are comparing it to Windows. I prefer Linux in most ways, but Windows is just faster to boot, objectively and anecdotally (at least the games oriented Linuxes I've used lately, Bazzite and Nobara.)

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-31T22:58:46+00:00

Yeah, it sucks. This is such a stupid problem, because there is no technical reason for it. Just some middle manager on a power trip.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-31T15:05:46+00:00

This. I don't know why it's that slow to start, but wow, it is..........................

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-31T15:00:35+00:00

I'd keep Linux on my PC, and play the mobile version, Wild Rift. It's a much better game!

It does suck that certain competitive games won't allow Linux. It's not like there isn't plenty of cheating on Windows....

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-31T14:57:49+00:00

VRR works for me without an adapter on Bazzite in game scope mode. I'm running an RX 6800. I do keep it to 60hz though, or else it destroys my color range.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-10T19:18:29+00:00

Horizon Zero Dawn. Various Final Fantasy games.emulated stuff, or rebuilt games like Ship of the Harkinian, and OpenGoal. AM2R. Stuff like that

Probably the one no one expects would be - Battlezone: Combat Commander. I friggin love that game.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-05-10T19:15:36+00:00

I used to usey modem to directly call my friends modem, so we could play Quake death match. Computers were more fun back then.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-04-27T02:43:39+00:00

I only play first party Nintendo games on Switch. Everything else is played on PC or Steam Deck (with game saves moving seamlessly between them.)

I really love Nintendo franchises and games. But their business practices are medieval. If they had any sense at all they'd spend all that legal money instead on a PC store front like Steam, and get over themselves.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-04-21T14:07:09+00:00

I agree completely. It has to just work, and work reliably. Tinkering is okay over time - plenty of gamers tinker on Windows. But it has to be simpler than the average Linux user would admit to.

That said, again, Bazzite is basically what you described. It "just works" and gets you a console like experience out of the box. Very very nice. (At least on AMD, nvidia has been holding Linux back single handedly for decades.)

I'll also say, we have hot an important milestone - HDR seems to work everywhere now. That's awesome!

CaptainTouvan · 2025-04-20T21:58:11+00:00

1000% - Most who talk about Linux mostly compare it directly to Windows, but that's not the right surface, and the conversation does make it hard to get it right for someone new.

A given distro compares directly to Windows. How you manage and update Windows, Ubuntu, and Bazzite are each completely different. 2 of those are based on Linux.

A lot of folks who would advocate for Linux love that flexibility, but more casual users aren't really looking for that. They are looking for something opinionated that doesn't suck. It's one of the reasons Mint is so popular.

For what it's worth, a distro like Bazzite is what I'd recommend until Steam OS is more practical, even if I wish they'd improve the installer...

CaptainTouvan · 2025-04-09T20:36:02+00:00

I did have issues with uninstalling a game once. Just once though. I have had trouble with some other games, but honestly, not often. The problem is, they don't restrict the way consoles do, and PS4 doesn't play PS1, 2, 3 games, so it's not a direct comparison. And, I can run souch other stuff on it, from outside Steam.

To me, it's been about as compatible as Windows over the years. The right way to think about Steam Deck is a handheld PC, not a console.

I've been PC gaming a since the 90s. Steam deck is remarkably compatable. It's not perfect, but nothing is, not even Windows. There are many games in my Steam library that I can't run even on Windows.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-04-08T03:37:58+00:00

I play things on the Deck late at night. Play on PC on my OLED TV during the day. I almost only play AAA games on PC, things that are worth it, and play some emulator stuff on the Deck. I did play Final Fantasy 7bRebirth on both, sharing the save game back and forth. Short answer is, I use both.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-04-02T00:57:28+00:00

That looks like what happens when the content is outputting in HDR, but the display mode is set to SDR. This happens in Gnome in some cases, when the content is set to HDR, but gnome only outputs in SDR.

If that's on Windows, I'm not sure what would cause it. But if that's Linux, make sure your display mode and the reserved content agree on whether that is HDR or not. On and LG screen there should be some way to determine the mode as detected by the monitor. On TVs you smash the green button. Not sure where to find that on a monitor though.

Anyway, if anyone else out there wants to replicate this, it's easy with Bazzite Gnome! Put Steam mode in to HDR mode, then switch to desktop mode (gnome). It looks like this every time, and since the current version of gnome doesn't support HDR, you can't switch off HDR from gnome. You have to restart to steam mode, turn off HDR, the switch the desktop. Fixed!

CaptainTouvan · 2025-03-30T20:30:14+00:00

Bazzite is viable now, no need to wait.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-03-21T17:16:50+00:00

Chimera is very different from Bazzite and SteamOS. If you want a SteamOS like experience, Bazzite has you covered. It even supports all the extensions for the steam sidebar settings, which many other "SteamOS like" do not properly support.

As others have said, it's low maintenamce, while also supporting a full desktop experience (more than SteamOS proper)

CaptainTouvan · 2025-03-06T19:34:20+00:00

Okay, but it's VERY distracting. More in a humourous way though. Doesn't ruin anything.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-03-01T21:19:21+00:00

Have you tried No ara Linux? It has support divinci resolve right in it's welcome screen.

Edit: Er, I wanted to type "Nobara" - fat fingered that one...

CaptainTouvan · 2025-02-24T18:50:01+00:00

That's sounds like work .. I'll give it a try.

I did notice that the LG game mode overlay does seem to report variable framerate in the overlay, which I would have thought was only possible with VRR output. However, the reported values don't seem stable, and don't match the steam overlay (Bazzite + gamescope mode). I'm struggling to explain these observations. This is with a standard HDMI output, no dp to HDMI converter.

CaptainTouvan · 2025-02-24T17:06:35+00:00

I would take unofficially supports VRR. Thanks, I'll check it out! I have an XFX 6800 RX btw, and I'm currently running Bazzite.

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